Elmer Gantry (1960)

Director:

Richard Brooks

Writers:

Richard Brooks (screenplay)
Sinclair Lewis (novel)

Release Date:

July 1960 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The screen has never known a man like ELMER GANTRY

Plot:

Elmer Gantry is a fast talking, hard drinking traveling salesman who always has a risqué story and a...

Plot Keywords:

Religion | Preacher | Church | Revivalism | 1920s

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 9 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Burt Lancaster	...	Elmer Gantry
Jean Simmons	...	Sister Sharon Falconer
Arthur Kennedy	...	Jim Lefferts
Dean Jagger	...	William L. Morgan
Shirley Jones	...	Lulu Bains
Patti Page	...	Sister Rachel
Edward Andrews	...	George F. Babbitt (as Ed Andrews)
John McIntire	...	Rev. John Pengilly
Hugh Marlowe	...	Rev. Philip Garrison
Joe Maross	...	Pete
Philip Ober	...	Rev. Planck
Barry Kelley	...	Police Capt. Holt
Wendell Holmes	...	Rev. Ulrich
Dayton Lummis	...	Eddington
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harry Antrim	...	Salesman in Saloon (uncredited)
Larry J. Blake	...	Mac - Bartender (uncredited)
Peter Brocco	...	Benny - Photographer (uncredited)
Budd Buster	...	Valet (uncredited)
George Cisar	...	Salesman in Saloon (uncredited)
Ralph Dumke	...	Salesman in Saloon (uncredited)
Sally Fraser	...	Prostitute (uncredited)
Everett Glass	...	Rev. Brown (uncredited)
Sol Gorss	...	Hobo in Boxcar (uncredited)
Mary Adams Hayes	...	Salvation Army Worker (uncredited)
Charles Horvath	...	Hobo in Boxcar (uncredited)
Rex Ingram	...	Preacher of Black Congregation (uncredited)
Colin Kenny	...	Extra at Revival Meeting (uncredited)
Mike Lally	...	Radio Station Official (uncredited)
Joanna Lancaster	...	Child in Audience (uncredited)
Sighle Lancaster	...	Child in Audience (uncredited)
Norman Leavitt	...	Salesman in Saloon (uncredited)
Robert P. Lieb	...	Lincoln Police Captain (uncredited)
Barbara Luna	...	Prostitute (uncredited)
John McKee	...	Photographer / Reporter (uncredited)
David McMahon	...	(uncredited)
Ed Nelson	...	Man on Phone at Sister Sharon Headquarters (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien	...	Train Conductor (uncredited)
Gloria Pall	...	Girl in Brothel (uncredited)
Milton Parsons	...	Revivalist (uncredited)
Charles Perry	...	Man at Revival Meeting (uncredited)
John Qualen	...	Sam - Storekeeper (uncredited)
Dan Riss	...	Radio Announcer (uncredited)
Max Showalter	...	Deaf Man (uncredited)
Marjorie Stapp	...	Lady in Red on Christmas Eve (uncredited)
Bert Stevens	...	Choir Member (uncredited)
Jack Stoney	...	Revival Tent Roustabout (uncredited)
Ken Terrell	...	Blind Man (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	...	Salesman in Saloon (uncredited)
Ray Walker	...	Salesman in Saloon (uncredited)
Michael Whalen	...	Rev. Phillips (uncredited)
Guy Wilkerson	...	Janitor in Revival Tent (uncredited)
Jean Willes	...	Prostitute (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Brooks

Writing credits
Richard Brooks		(screenplay)
Sinclair Lewis		(novel)

Produced by
Bernard Smith	....	producer

Original Music by
André Previn

Cinematography by
John Alton		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Marjorie Fowler

Art Direction by
Edward Carrere		(as Ed Carrere)

Set Decoration by
William F. Calvert		(as Bill Calvert)
Frank Tuttle

Costume Design by
Dorothy Jeakins

Makeup Department
Harry Maret	....	makeup
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup (as Robert Schiffer)
Joan St. Oegger	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Gilbert Kurland	....	executive production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tom Shaw	....	assistant director (as Thomas P. Shaw)
Carl Beringer	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Joseph Pevney	....	second unit director (uncredited)
Rowe Wallerstein	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Robert Webb	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Hudson Ratabaugh	....	propmaster (uncredited)

Sound Department
Fred J. Brown	....	sound effects editor (as Fred Brown)
Harry D. Mills	....	sound (as Harry Mills)
Eldon Coutts	....	recordist (uncredited)
Sol Jaffe	....	mike man (uncredited)
Andy Payne	....	cableman (uncredited)

Stunts
Paul Baxley	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Herron	....	stunts (uncredited)
Charles Horvath	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard H. Kline	....	camera operator (uncredited)
John Livesley	....	head grip (uncredited)
Harold May	....	best boy (uncredited)
Andrew J. McIntyre	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Val O'Malley	....	camera operator (uncredited)
James Saper	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Al St. Hilaire	....	stills (uncredited)
Harry Sundby	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joan Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Leonard Doss	....	color consultant (uncredited)

Music Department
Ken Darby	....	associate music supervisor
Kenyon Hopkins	....	conductor (uncredited)
Albert Woodbury	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Thom Conroy	....	dialogue coach (uncredited)
John Franco	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Jerry Ludwig	....	unit publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Elmer Gantry Productions

Distributors

• United Artists (1960) (USA) (theatrical) (presents)
• United Artists (1961) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1961) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1965) (USA) (TV)
• CBS / Fox Video (1987) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS) (widescreen)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• United Artists (1961) (Belgium) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Solters & Digney  publicity (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

146 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastman Color)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Norway:16 | West Germany:16 (f) | Portugal:17 (censored) | Portugal:(Banned) | USA:TV-PG | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #19593)

Filming Locations:

Columbia Pictures Ranch - 411 N. Hollywood Way, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Elmer Gantry Productions

Trivia:

To keep word from leaking out as to how the novel would be adapted to the screen, only the film's six major stars were given access to the complete screenplay.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Sister Sharon is seen briefly outside a movie theater advertising a film. The title is not given but the stars names are given as Rudolph Valentino and Agnes Ayres, suggesting that the film is almost certainly _The Sheik (1921)_. But then in the scene with the newspapers in Sister Sharon's office, the headline on one is about death of Isadora Duncan, suggesting it was sometime shortly after Sept. 14, 1927 (date of her death). Since Zenith, Neb., wasn't exactly in the mainstream, it seems more logical that the movie house was playing an old movie since the first talkie, _The Jazz Singer (1927)_, wasn't released until a month later. So, the time line would place it in 1927, the year the book first was published.

Quotes:

Lulu Bains:Oh, he gave me special instructions back of the pulpit Christmas Eve. He got to howlin' "Repent! Repent!" and I got to moanin' "Save me! Save me!" and the first thing I know he rammed the fear of God into me so fast I never heard my old man's footsteps!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 'White Christmas': A Look Back with Rosemary Clooney (2000) (V)

Soundtrack:

Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus

Sin, sin, sin! You're all sinners! You're all doomed to perdition!

Based on the muckraker Sinclair Lewis' novel, and superbly translated to the screen by Richard Brooks (In Cold Blood , The Professionals, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof), this story of huckster-ism by religion is a masterpiece.

Burt Lancaster player the greatest role of his career, getting his only Oscar for his performance. Lancaster, so good in such films as From Here to Eternity, Atlantic City, and Seven Days in May, was spellbinding as the salesman for God.

Shirley Jones (The Music Man, "The Patridge Family," was simply delicious as Gantry's first conquest, and now a "five-buck hooker," that he left behind: "Oh, he gave me special instructions back of the pulpit Christmas Eve. He got to howlin' "Repent! Repent!" and I got to moanin' "Save me! Save me!" and the first thing I know he rammed the fear of God into me so fast I never heard my old man's footsteps!" 1960 was a great year for movies, and this was certainly one of the best of that year, and one of the best of all time. If you want to see real acting, this film should be on your "must-see" list.